From the newsletter
The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) is funding eight projects across Africa to improve air quality monitoring and access to vital data. Air pollution contributes to a growing global health crisis, leading to deaths from noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disorders, respiratory illnesses, and lung cancer.
These projects, part of EPIC’s Air Quality Fund, aim to address Africa’s critical data gaps, empowering policymakers and communities to take action against pollution, which is recognised as the leading global health risk.
Supported by Open Philanthropy, Alpha Epsilon, and other donors, the initiative seeks to expand access to air quality data for 1 billion Africans by 2030.
More details
“Lack of data is the greatest ally of pollution. Policy makers require data to establish and enforce air quality standards and to measure progress over time.” Michael Greenstone, Director of EPIC, has said. The eight African projects emerged from a pool of 322 applications across 74 countries, primarily from regions with high pollution and scarce resources. Over the next 18 months, these initiatives will strengthen air quality infrastructure, promote open data sharing, and drive national-level action on pollution by 2026.
Côte d'Ivoire's Centre Ivoirien Anti-Pollution is launching an air quality monitoring network in Abidjan and Korhogo, deploying 10 low-cost monitors. The project aims to reduce fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions by 30-40% and enhance national air quality standards. Similarly, Liberia's Clean Air for Liberia project will install 20 monitors, advocating for the country’s first national air quality standard.
In Malawi, 50 air quality monitors will be deployed across five cities, led by the Malawi Initiative for Clean Air Solutions and the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences, to provide real-time PM2.5 data. Mozambique’s BLAZE project focuses on updating air quality standards through a new monitoring network.
The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority and the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, both in Nigeria, will deploy 50 air quality monitors to reduce emissions and inform health policies. Zimbabwe’s Kgotso Development Trust is creating the nation’s first real-time air quality network with 35 sensors to enhance public awareness and inform mitigation strategies.
The widespread use of biomass for cooking and heating in Africa produces high quantities of pollutants. This pollution is exacerbated by rapid urbanisation and increasing motorisation, which now account for an estimated 40% of air pollution sources on the continent. The carbon emissions contributing to air pollution also accelerate the climate emergency and have immediate deadly effects, such as cardiovascular diseases, as noted in the 2024 World Heart Report.
A major concern is that air quality measurement in Africa is underdeveloped. The region severely lacks adequate air pollution monitoring infrastructure, making it difficult for policymakers to act with the necessary urgency and effectiveness. Currently, only 24 of the 54 countries in Africa are equipped to measure air quality in some capacity. Even then, this monitoring fails to cover all key pollutants known to cause health issues. Furthermore, testing is unevenly distributed and predominantly focused on urban areas.
It is also alarming that only 30% of countries in Africa are legally required to monitor air quality, and merely 18% are mandated to make this data public. These legal barriers are concerning, given that air pollution increased between 2010 and 2019 in 60% of African countries. This highlights the urgent need for prioritising air quality monitoring in Africa.
Our take
Investing in cleaner air is both a moral health imperative and a sound economic strategy. It can reduce healthcare costs, boost productivity, and drive sustainable development while mitigating climate change. Currently, the world is losing over $8.1 billion each year due to global health costs associated with exposure to air pollution.
The upcoming WHO Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, scheduled for 25–27 March 2025 in Cartagena, Colombia, presents an excellent opportunity to address this issue.
African governments must explore partnerships with private businesses to procure affordable air quality monitors. In a situation as critical as air pollution, donations alone are insufficient.